Informal care
Care in the informal sector accounted for the largest proportion of children in care in
Australia in 1990; 82 per cent of children in child care received informal care either
solely or in combination with formal care (Table 4.8). Two-thirds of these children were
cared for by relatives, both siblings and other relatives (Table 4.10). Fifty seven per cent
of informal care was conducted away from the child's home, usually in the home of the
carer (ABS 1992a:3).